Source: The Canadian Press

Manitoba is joining the fight against a federal government proposal for a single national securities regulator.

Finance Minister Rosann Wowchuk says the province will appear before the Supreme Court of Canada in April as an intervener and file a written brief.

Wowchuk says securities regulation must remain with the provinces so they can address the needs of their residents and businesses.

The high court is to decide if Ottawa is overstepping its bounds in planning to set up a centralized watchdog for all of the country’s capital markets.

British Columbia said this week it will not back the plan, and Alberta and Quebec are challenging its constitutionality in their appeal courts.

New Brunswick and Saskatchewan have also expressed concern, while Ontario has been a leading supporter of a national regulator.